Cubs notebook: Cubbies taking Marlins seriously

Monday

The Cubs appear to be in a comfortable spot atop the National League Central Division with one week left in the regular season. However, they’re not going to be lulled into a false sense of security.

The Cubs appear to be in a comfortable spot atop the National League Central Division with one week left in the regular season.

However, they’re not going to be lulled into a false sense of security.

The Cubs have won 10 of their last 12 games and face NL East cellar-dweller Florida for three games in Miami starting tonight. The Cubs finish the regular season with a three-game series in Cincinnati starting Friday.

Despite the Marlins’ 66-90 record, the Cubs’ Cliff Floyd, a former Marlin, warns the North Siders will not have it easy.

“They probably won’t have a lot of fans, and there’s not much for the team to shoot for down there as far as winning anything,” said Floyd, who was with the Marlins from 1997 — when Florida won its first World Series — through 2002. “But they have some good players who know in their minds that they would love to spoil it for us. We know we have to play well on the road. There is a lot at stake. And I know the teams we’re playing want to beat us really bad.”

The Marlins swept a three-game series at Wrigley Field from May 28-30. During that series, after dropping 5-3 and 9-4 decisions to Florida, the Cubs held a players’ only meeting on May 30 — a session called by another ex-Marlin, Derrek Lee. The Cubs went out and dropped the series finale 9-0. Dan Uggla had two homers and four RBI off Ted Lilly in that game. Lilly is to start for the Cubs in tonight’s series opener.

Thinking ahead ...

The Cubs struggled during the regular season against their potential postseason opponents.

The Cubs were 2-4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-2 at home, 1-2 at Chase Field), 3-5 against the San Diego Padres (2-3 at home, 1-2 at Petco Park), 2-4 against the New York Mets (1-2 at home, 1-2 at Shea Stadium) and 3-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies (2-2 at home, 1-2 at Citizens Bank Park).

Some experts believe the Cubs will last one round in the playoffs and be done because of their poor showing against the NL elite. But is the league so strong that a World Series bid is out of the question for the Cubs?

Manager Lou Piniella points out there is no clear-cut, dominant team in the NL.

“There is a lot more parity in baseball,” he said. “There is not going to be a 100-game winner in either league. The races in the National League are very, very tight. It’s good for baseball. There is more interest.

“I don’t know about favorites. We’re interested in winning baseball games and trying to get into the postseason.”